… And Only Practice Makes a Real Channel Master
Last month, we at Spatial Networks (SNI) had our Spring All Hands Meeting during which I presented a Channel Partner Overview. During the presentation, I offered the analogy of how you purchase simple grocery goods: you don’t purchase your Charmin directly through Procter & Gamble or your Colgate directly through Colgate-Palmolive, you go through a grocery store such as Publix or pharmacy store such as CVS (I always get a kick over the number of paper coupons I’m given at checkout). You don’t purchase a vehicle directly from GM or Ford, you go to a car dealer.
My point was that almost everything you purchase comes through some sort of channel. Many of my coworkers came up to me afterward and said it made more sense in our approach to channel partners at SNI and the value they bring.
Before I proceed any further, let me explain that I am a Channel-Guy; I’ve spent over 17 years supporting channel partners in various roles within the IT space which, in my opinion, is the epitome of what the channel is. There are manufacturers/vendors that brag they are 100% channel, meaning they do no business direct. I live and breathe channel and like to think I have a “very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career” (yes, I did just plagiarize Liam Neeson from the movie Taken).
When joining SNI as Global Channel Manager, it was apparent that we as a company had a channel but there was no managing our channel partners like they deserved — basically they were treated as a customer. Not that it was a bad thing, but channel partners are different from customers. They provide a value-add in a multitude of ways and integration with SNI is imperative to their solution. I like to say: imagine a channel partner’s solution is a whole pizza and the SNI solution in that is just a slice. They should have a program that helps with their company’s growth and we as SNI should support them to achieve those goals. They are ultimately an extension of SNI and reach potential new customers through their solutions. This is a much different relationship than direct to a prospecting customer.
The IT world is partner channel-centric, but the SaaS world is different. When you think of the largest SaaS companies (Salesforce, Box, Slack, Adobe, etc.), much of it is direct to consumer. So where does the partner channel fit in with these companies? You guessed it — integration and implementation. There are partners that provide the value of helping customers implement X solution and integrating it with the customer’s environment. It made me excited that there was so much potential at SNI and engagement with channel partners that the first task was to establish a sound Partner Program. I attended my first SaaStr event in early February and it was refreshing to hear some of the SaaS channel leaders discuss the value of the channel.
In a little over a year, we have an established partner base and are constantly growing. It’s amazing to hear some of the unique solutions our friends at Carrington Risk and The Sequel Group are providing to customers with SNI’s solution being a “slice of their pizza.” We are also engaging in strategic partnerships to help build the SNI brand — a recent one being with our friends at Mapbox.
I like to think I’ve been able to provide stability to our existing and growing channel partner base. I cannot express what this experience has meant to me and the growth in my own personal development. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone and have been given the keys to create something from scratch. I’ve had many assists and the SNI family has been instrumental in this path. We each have our own “set of skills” and each of us is valued. The future at SNI is bright and I’m proud to be a member of this wonderful family.
